What is the Digital Attestation Service?
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) offers a Digital Attestation Service to enhance the speed, accuracy, and convenience of document authentication and attestation. This secure, paperless service is now available through the UAE Embassy in Sofia and applies to documents issued outside the UAE.
Key Features
- One service, two attestations: One application covers both the UAE Embassy in Sofia and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UAE.
- Faster processing: Most requests are completed within 2–3 business days.
- Official recognition: Digitally attested documents are legally recognized within the UAE.
Can I attest documents at the UAE Embassy in Sofia?
The UAE Embassy in Sofia provides attestation services for documents issued in:
- The United Arab Emirates
- The Republic of Bulgaria (Digital Attestation)
To be eligible for attestation through the UAE Embassy in Sofia, documents must first be attested by the relevant national foreign office, as outlined below:
- UAE-issued documents: Must be attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Bulgaria-issued documents: Must be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.
How to Apply
Please note: Submission of the original physical document is required to complete the Digital Attestation process.
1. Log in to the UAE MoFA website using UAE Pass and select Attestation Service from the Services menu. If you do not have a UAE Pass account, click here and follow the steps to create one.
2. Select the Country of Issuance – Republic of Bulgaria.
3. Complete the online application and proceed with payment.
4. Visit the UAE Embassy in Sofia to submit your original documents for attestation during the official working days from Monday to Friday, 9:30 AM - 15:00 PM.
5. Once the attestation process has been completed, you will receive an email containing your digitally attested documents, certified by both the UAE Embassy in Sofia and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
6. Original certified documents are received during official working days from Monday to Friday, from 9:30 AM - 15:00 PM.
Verify Your Attested Document enter the Attestation Reference Number and Issue Date to verify the authenticity of your document.
Visit: http://verify.mofa.gov.ae
What types of documents does the UAE Embassy in Sofia accept?
The UAE Embassy in Sofia accepts all personal and commercial documents for attestation, except:
- Commercial invoices and certificates of origin, which must be submitted through eDAS 2.0 on the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
Additional Guidelines
- Official personal documents (such as birth, marriage, and death certificates) must be submitted in their original form.
- All other documents, whether originals or true copies, are accepted provided they have been attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria.
- Documents certified in a bundle are not accepted. Each document must be certified individually.
- Legal documents (such as powers of attorney) must first be signed before a local notary public or competent legal authority in Bulgaria and subsequently attested by the - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.
- A power of attorney containing commercial content is considered a commercial document.
- Memorandum and Articles of Association must be attested separately.
- Laminated documents cannot be attested.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is UAE Pass and how do I create an account?
- UAE Pass is the national digital identity for the UAE, enabling users to securely access government services using a single digital identity.
- Download the UAE Pass application (iOS – Android) and create an account by providing your basic information, including your name, email address, and mobile number.
- Once your account has been created, log in to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs website using UAE Pass to apply for document attestation.
2. I have applied for attestation. What are the next steps?
- After completing your payment, visit the UAE Embassy in Sofia and submit your original documents during the Embassy's official working days from Monday to Friday, from 9:30 AM - 03:00 PM.
- The Embassy will review your documents to ensure that all attestation requirements have been met.
- Once the review and attestation process have been completed, you will receive your digitally attested documents by email.
3. When can I collect my original documents?
You may collect your original documents from the UAE Embassy in Sofia during the Embassy's official working days from Monday to Friday, from 9:30 AM - 03:00 PM.
4. Can I submit documents issued outside Bulgaria to the UAE Embassy in Sofia for attestation?
No. Documents issued outside Bulgaria must be attested by the UAE Embassy or Consulate in the country where they were issued.
I have read all the above, but I need further assistance.
For more information, please contact:
Telephone: +359 2 995 50 00
Email: SofiaEmb@mofa.gov.ae
For technical Support related to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs Website please contact:
Telephone: +971 800 44444
